Introduction
Woking Borough Council (WBC) manages a number of green spaces across the borough, as listed here. Some are classified as Sites of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCI), some are Local Nature Reserves (LNR). WEAct supports WBC in their conservation work on four of these sites, guided by commissioned ecological surveys, which are used to develop management plans for our volunteers. The location of these sites can be seen in the map on our Home page.
Mayford Meadows
This LNR is managed to encourage a rich, wet grassland habitat, also supporting a mosaic of open marsh, swamp and tall-herb fen vegetation, with scrub and woodland.
Woking Biodiversity’s current focus is working with Mayford Village Society to help control the highly invasive non-native Himalayan balsam and create areas for wildflowers to grow.
Millmoor Common
This SNCI is locally important for its wetland habitats and lowland mixed deciduous woodland, the latter designated a habitat of principal importance (HPI). The site is also a proposed Suitable Alternative Natural Green Space (SANG), designed to offer recreations opportunities and reduce visitor pressure on other nearby sensitive habitats.
Woking Biodiversity’s focus has been to maintain/enhance the wildflower spaces and pond areas, as well as clear invasive species such as Himalayan balsam. This focus will be revisited in light of the ecology survey report WEAct commissioned from the Surrey Wildlife Trust in 2024.
St John’s Lye
This SNCI has a mix of woodland, ponds, heathland and grassland habitats, as well as other open amenity areas. It is locally important for several plant populations with conservation status including Chamomile, as well as supporting habitats of principal importance (HPI), those being lowland mixed deciduous woodland and lowland heathland.
Woking Biodiversity’s focus has been to open up paths, clear invasive species such as cherry laurel, clear the heathland of birch saplings; create areas for wildflowers to grow. This focus will be revisited in light of the ecology survey report WEAct commissioned from the Surrey Wildlife Trust in 2024.
White Rose Lane Nature Reserve
This LNR is a site of damp alder woodland, located along the Hoe Steam in Woking.
The site is included in the Thames Basin Heaths Partnership list of Woking green spaces.
Woking Biodiversity’s focus has been to open up paths, clear invasive species such as bamboo, cherry laurel, Himalayan balsam and rhododendron; create areas for wildflowers to grow.
One of our DofE volunteers recently led a project to remove an area of bamboo from the reserve; read her report here.
